Liquid distributor



Dec. 5, 1961 c. VAN WEELE LIQUID DISTRIBUTOR Filed June 6, 1961 1977'0/7/VEY5 United States Patent ()fifice Patented Dec. 5, 1361 3, l11,723 LIQUID BISTREBUTGR Zornclis van Weele, Sittard, Netherlands, assignor to Stamicarbon N .V. Filed June 6, E61, Ser. No. 115,133 Claims priority, application Netherlands lune 9, 1966 3 Claims. (Cl. 239-193) This invention relates to liquid distributors of the trough type wherein the liquid to be distributed flOWS over the brim of the trough and drips down the vertical walls.

Trough-type liquid distributors of this character generally provide along the bottom edge of the side walls a notched dripping edge to efiect a more regular distribution of the liquid dripping ofi the bottom thereof. In such prior art devices of the character described, the notched dripping edge of the vertical wall extends below the transition between the Wall and the bottom of the trough, this projecting part being provided with notches which are so shaped to provide an indented edge. Such prior art constructions result in a loss of material by virtue of the provision of the notches.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a trough-type liquid distributor of the character described which is of a simpler and superior construction than heretofore known in the art, whereby the loss of material is obviated.

Another object of this invention is to provide a liquid distributor having a notched dripping edge which includes a wire bent in a zigzag line, the wire being attached along one side to a vertical Wall and projects below the transition portion of the distributor between the vertical wall and the bottom wall thereof.

Still further objects, advantages, and novel features of this invention will become apparent in the specification and claims, taken with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a distributor according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective View similar to FIGURE 1 but showing the wire attached to the transition edge of the trough between the wall and the bottom; and

FIGURE 3 is an elevation view of the lower portion of the liquid distributor shown in FIGURE 1.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawing wherein FIGURE 1 shows a liquid distributor having opposed vertical walls 12 .and 14 notched along their upper ends and a bottom wall 16 which is of an inverted V-shaped configuration. Suitable end walls (not shown) are provided for the distributor, as necessary.

According to this invention there is provided a wire 18 bent in a zigzag line at angles of 90, operatively attached to the walls 12. and 14 and extending below the transition edge of the bottom wall 16, defining open spaces 20. These open spaces 20 enclosed by the edge formed by the walls 12 and 14, and the bottom wall 16, together with the zigzag Wire 18, do not interfere with the regular flow of liquid along the dripping points formed by the wire 18, thereby materially enhancing the dripping distribution of the liquid flowing over the top of the trough 10. v

For purposes of illustration, successful results have 2 been obtained with a distributor trough having vertical walls of a height of 160 mm, the external Width of the trough being mm., the wall thickness being 3 mm., and the wire 13 being constructed of 5 mm. diameter wire bent with a pitch of so mm. With a liquid load of 3-6 in. per hour per meter of trough length, the open space 26 did not interfere with the regular flow of liquid along the dripping points formed by the wire.

This construction may be contrasted with the construction shown in FIGURE 2 wherein the zigzag Wire 18 is mounted to the edge formed by the intersection of the walls 12 and 14 with the bottom wall 16. Here, part of the liquid flows to the center of the bottom wall 16 through the open spaces 20 and drops down from this center portion. As is apparent, regular distribution of the liquid cannot thereby be obtained.

A further feature of this invention, notwithstanding the control distribution of the liquid, is that the liquid distributor 14? can be made of metal or plastic simply by forming the side walls 12 and i4 upwardly, thereby avoiding the necessity of welding these side walls to the bottom wall 16.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the permissible pitch at which the zigzag wire 13 is attached to the wall, the size of the wire, and the angle at which the wire 18 is joined in zigzag fashion may be modified, corresponding with such conditions as the liquid load or the like. By means of simple experimentation, the optimum pitch length of the zigzag wire as well as the optimum wire size and bending angle'can thereby be ascertained for any given load conditions.

From the foregoing description of the various embodiments of this invention, it is evident that the objects of this invention, together with many practical advantages are successfully achieved. While preferred embodiments of my invention have been described, numerous further modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this invention.

Therefore, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A liquid distributor comprising a liquid container having a substantially vertical wall intersecting a bottom wall along a transition line, a zigzag wire providing a notched dripping edge for overflowing liquid, said zigzag wire being operatively attached to said vertical wall and extending below said transition line between said bottom wall and said vertical wall.

2. Liquid distributor defined in claim 1 wherein said distributor includes opposed vertical walls and including zigzag wires operatively attached to both vertical walls and extending below the transition line between the bottom wall and said vertical walls.

3. Liquid distributor defined in claim 1 wherein said who is secured along its upper side to said vertical wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Knebusch et a1. Sept. 15, 1936 

